John Lennon Songwriting Contest Song of the Year

NEW England Music AwardsBest In State, RHODE Island

WBRU Rock Hunt Champions

Drawing inspiration from each successive wave of garage rock, The Rare Occasions put their own dark spin on retro. The LA-via-Providence group meshes angular guitar riffs with sweet indie pop melodies, from the blistering psych-anthem “Dysphoric” (Feelers) to the dreamlike “Bug Eyes” (Futureproof). This variability and depth of styles, layered with lyrical themes of existentialism and self-reflection, are what both define The Rare Occasions and set them apart.

The band’s latest effort, Into The Shallows, is their full-length debut. Primarily recorded in their cramped LA rehearsal space, The Rare Occasions bring their northeast sensibilities with them to California. The record delves deeper into the musical and lyrical concepts which have come to define the band’s aesthetic, from buzzing highs to sulking lows.

The Rare Occasions first turned heads in their native Providence, Rhode Island when they won the WBRU Rock Hunt, headlined the Summer Concert Series at Waterplace Park, and performed in front of packed audiences at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel and The Met. Meanwhile, they tore through the Boston club circuit, building a dedicated following across the northeast.

The Rare Occasions went on to perform for festival audiences at SXSW and CMJ, as well as open for international touring acts, including Guster, Dirty Heads, and Knox Hamilton. “Dysphoric” took home the coveted ‘Song of the Year’ award in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest.

“They’re the kind of band that creates music that both slaps you and kisses you, sometimes within seconds of one another, with equal seduction and genuine ease.”